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What subjects did Napoleon Bonaparte study as a young artillery officer?
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Napoleon I
The Emperor Napoleon in His Study at the Tuileries, oil on canvas by Jacques-Louis David, 1812; in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
As a young artillery officer stationed at Valence, Napoleon Bonaparte continued his education through extensive independent reading. His studies focused primarily on works concerning military strategy and tactics.1
Beyond his professional military interests, Napoleon was deeply influenced by the intellectual currents of the 18th-century Enlightenment. He was a dedicated reader of philosophers such as Voltaire and Jean-Jacques Rousseau, whose ideas shaped his political outlook during this period. Additionally, he engaged in writing, notably authoring Lettres sur la Corse (“Letters on Corsica”), which explored his personal connection to his native island.1